miReven Pty Ltd is an Australian-based biotechnology company specialising in the design, development and commercialisation of synthetic mimics of microRNA-7 (miR-7) for the treatment of poor prognostic cancers. The company was initially established in 2010, following investment from the Medical Research Commercialisation Fund (MRCF), University of Western Australia (UWA), and the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research.
MiReven Pty Ltd was formed in 2010 through an investment from the Medical Research Commercialisation Fund (MCRF). The company is commercialising the pioneering work of Prof Peter Leedman and Dr Keith Giles at the Harry Perkins Institute for Medical Research on the anti-cancer potential of miR-7. The Perkins Institute’s published research shows that miR-7 can knock-out an essential growth receptor for cancer, known as the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), as well as its associated signaling pathways that promote cancer development. EGFR is a major target for cancer therapy because it is often associated with disease progression, resistance to chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
The Perkins Institute was assisted in the commercialisation of its intellectual property by the University of Western Australia, through its Office of Industry and Innovation. Founding board members included Mr John Fitzgerald, Ms Samantha South, and Mr Steven Thompson.
In 2018 MiReven was relaunched solely by Professor Peter Leedman in response to significant breakthroughs in RNA therapeutics internationally and some seminal results in his laboratory for cancer medicine.